


Chapter One: A Chance Encounter?

by Entesi



Series: Lanterns Don't Die [1]
Category: Green Lantern: The Animated Series
Genre: Depression, Gen, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 10:30:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16282934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Entesi/pseuds/Entesi
Summary: After years with no luck of finding Aya, Razer takes on a new job in a suspicious alien colony to assist Green Lanterns again in unfamiliar territory. With his hope ring now useless and returning to his rage ring, he becomes more and more hopeless. Razer's new friend makes a suggestion to help him, by meeting someone who may or may not understand him. Is it worth speaking to this new Lantern?





	Chapter One: A Chance Encounter?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! So I haven't written a proper story in a few years, and it's been even longer since I've posted one anywhere online. Those of you who are up to date on my art already know who Jaxton is and what he looks like, but for those who don't, I won't spoil it until the next story, but feel free to check my DeviantART gallery to find him! (Be warned though, you'll see spoilers!) 
> 
> This is an alternate universe Razer, who's anatomy and such will be expanded on later in the story. I apologise for any OOC dialogue and behaviour; it's been months since I've watched GLTAS, and I have personal reasons why I currently won't rewatch for story purposes. But I hope you enjoy this anyway, it was really good practice for me and I've been meaning to start this for months!

Two years. Two rings. It felt like there was no point in keeping his blue ring. There was no more hope

There were times Razer considered throwing it away. He’d been wearing his rage ring again for so long he often forgot the other was still on his finger. It was useless to him now, hanging there dead and inactive. There were days he felt it was nagging him to keep going; he’d been searching for Aya for so long, yet hadn’t gotten any closer to finding her than the first day he started looking. He’d spoken to many creatures near and far, and hated to admit it but risked his own life on hundreds of occasions in the belief he would finally find his soulmate. He would try to fill the void by talking to himself, and refused to let anyone stay around him long in fear he would get too attached and lose them as well.

A few months ago, he was recruited by a group of new Green Lanterns who worked for a mysterious alien colony, of which he was never given much information about. Despite the ambiguity, he took the job, hoping that maybe now after being apart from Hal Jordan and Kilowog for those years he could at least return to his old duties and help creatures. He was, at least in his words, ‘dragged’ along on multiple missions, rescuing others in need and assisting in research for the colony. A lot of various Lanterns had given him the title ‘C-13’, which he assumed was the name of the sector he worked in, but never was given an explanation. The only hints to an answer the occasional gossip he eavesdropped on. Why were they gossiping about him? It seemed to be the only subject they spoke about outside of missions. Was it because he’d returned to being a Red Lantern? 

 

**PRESENT DAY**

 

Razer scurried through the halls of his colony’s ship, trying not to bump into the rush of oversized bodies of other Lanterns swarming the halls awaiting their next mission. It was a designated meal time, and though Razer _could_ survive for months on end without eating, he very much valued his meals. Not only was the food, at least most of the time, quite delicious, but it also gave him time away from the looming eyes of his peers he could swear were always on him. Although there were days he gave himself credit for just being paranoid as he never had the will to ask how the others saw him. It wasn’t necessary. The missions were his top priority... He tried to keep that in mind, anyway.

Razer pulled up a chair and got comfortable, gazing at the other empty tables and chairs. He liked to make note of the shape and style of his environment; it calmed him down some days when he needed a distraction. Sometimes he’d even grab a pen and paper and draw the landscape while waiting for his meals. 

“The usual, C-13?” 

Razer’s mind was snapped out of his daydream when one of the cooks arrived at his table. They were one he’d become acquainted with, and was the only creature Razer would make conversation with outside of his duties. 

“Oh, yes please. I am rather hungry.” Razer nodded, looking up at his… ‘friend’, keeping his face blank. The creature chuckled and rested his hand on Razer’s shoulder, then went to grab the food. He’d memorised everyone’s usual orders, but his favourite to serve was to his Red Lantern ally. On the way back with the tray, he sat down beside Razer as he ate, and noticed the blue ring hanging behind the active red one. His eyes lit up in excitement, grabbing the boy’s hand and bouncing on the spot.

“Oh kiddo, I didn’t know ya used to be a Blue Lantern! I envy you, I lost my green ring a few years ago fightin’ a Manhunter. Nobody really believes I‘ seen one let alone fought one, heh.” 

After an immediate collapse to the floor in a failed attempt to hide his hand, Razer climbed back onto his chair and slammed his hands on the table.

“I WAS **NOT** A BLUE LANTERN!” 

Oh no. Yelling was a mistake. His voice reverberated from the dining room to the main hall, and most of the Lanterns outside had now moved their gaze towards the shout. Razer froze up in fear, but snapped out of it quickly and stormed off through the crowd to find his quarters. He held back his emotions until his door was slammed shut, then threw both of his rings onto the floor. Once he sat on his bed, he had to cover his face as he sobbed, and dug his claws into his face out of despair that unintentionally made himself bleed. He wiped his face once he noticed the blood mixing with his tears and laid down, crying himself to sleep.

 

“Razer! C’mon kiddo! Can I come in please? I just wanna bring you yer food. You always feel better after eating.” 

The voice seemed to echo everywhere for a few minutes. Everything around was black.

“Are ya alright in there hun? Did ya fall asleep again?”

Asleep. He couldn’t be asleep, he could have sworn he had only just entered his room.

Loud metallic knocking echoed suddenly. Where was it coming from? The Volkreg boy opened his eyes and noticed he was collapsed on his bed with drool and blood streaming down his face. He sat up in a flash and looked at the digital clock above his desk across the room and saw that four hours had passed. 

“Razer! Can ye let me in please kiddo? I just wanna make sure ya ain’t hurting yourself again.” 

Razer opened the door and was greeted immediately by a suffocating hug. 

“Thank the stars you’re alright! Ya went quiet for so long I’d thought you’d…”

“Please put me down, I can’t breathe.”

“Oh, sorry honey.” The cook often forgot his own strength. He got comfortable on the bed, cradling Razer’s bloodied face. “Pardon me for touching ya without consent, but did you intentionally scar yer face?” He chuckled and cracked a joke in an effort to lighten the mood. “Ye ain’t gonna find a lil darlin’ with a minced up face like that. Nobody can see yer strong, handsome jawline.”

“O-oh… no.” Forgetting about the fact he’d hurt himself, Razer’s eyes darted around the room nervously looking for something to clean his face with. “I haven’t trimmed my claws for a while. I came in here to… well, I hadn’t intended to stay in here for so long, but I must have fallen asleep.” He sighed and rummaged through his drawers in a desperate attempt to find some cleansing wipes or bandages. “I apologise for worrying you.”

“It’s alright kiddo, as long as you’re alright and ya not hurting yourself on purpose.” He stood up and handed Razer a roll of bandages he had grabbed before arriving. “You been lookin’ after the scars on your wrists as well, boo?” 

Razer had forgotten he’d hurt himself a few days earlier and sighed once again, taking the bandages and ripping some off to cover the bleeding claw marks on his face. “Yes, I… I am trying to. But my urges are coming back.”

“As long as yer trying to keep fighting kiddo, I want you to know I’m proud of ya.” The cook chuckled, but with a deeper tone that sounded more like a rumbling drum. “I know ya don’t know me very well, porkin pie, but I’ve always thought yer were brave for goin’ through all this bulltarchen around here. I could tell it’s not easy for you, but still yet ye help others.” 

The boy could feel tears welling up again. His voice was broken and shaky now, making it uncomfortably obvious for him that he was emotional. “T-thank you… After everything that h-has… happened before I came here, I wanted to at the very least…” Razer’s voice broke more as tears started streaming down his face. “I wanted to return to my old duties and… at least make up for my past mistakes.”

“Aye kiddo, I hope you know it breaks my hearts te see you cryin’ and stuff. Sit back down, I’ll clean your face eh?” He rested his hand on the edge of Razer’s bed, then grabbed and fluffed his pillow. “Now, what’s this ya saying about ‘past mistakes’ eh? You gotta realise honey that as a cook I ain’t legally able to see your Lantern history. Not in this colony.” 

“I’ll spare you the boring details of my increeedibly exciting past.” Razer’s voice returned to a more forceful tone, but tears still dripped off his face. He paced around the room with his arms folded. “Let’s just say, I have hurt a lot of people… and have lost the love of my life due to my incompetence.” He balled his fists in anger, trying not to hit the wall in front of him. “I have been searching for her for two years and I lost all hope a long time ago.” He looked down at the rings he’d tossed on the floor earlier, sighed and his tone softened. “That is… how I lost the power of my hope ring.”

The cook sat for a moment, looking down at the floor where the rings were as the room fell silent. After about a minute, his head shot up to Razer’s gaze and he smiled. “Ye know, I don’t think I ever told you my name, I feel bad. You can call me Rotrüff.” Rotrüff grinned, baring a scary amount of sharp teeth that even rivalled Razer’s fangs. 

“W..what?” Razer looked at Rot with a mildly offended frown, believing his cook to have not cared about anything he’d said. 

“Yer my friend now Razer, whether you like it or not. You were comfortable enough to share ye heartbreak around me, a simple chef bug who ya ain’t even known well until now. That’s not an easy thing to do kiddo. So I thought it’d be polite to tell ye my name since I know ya hadn’t heard it beforehand. Plus it distracted ye for a moment from yer anguish.” He grinned once again, and Razer’s face softened to a surprised look. Rot rested his hand on his new friend’s shoulder. “Yer personal life is safe with me. I won’t tell a soul.” 

Razer finally sat down on his bed beside Rotrüff and smiled, something he had never done in front of anyone for a long time. “Thank you, Rotrüff. I… It means a lot to me that I have your support. I did not expect you to trust me, I know I shouldn’t be trusted as a Red Lantern.”

“Whaddaya mean kiddo? You’re not the first Red Lantern I’ve met who’s been a great ally to us.” Rot chuckled and rested his arm around Razer’s waist, making the boy pull away a bit due to the unwanted physical contact. When he realised what the cook said, Razer then looked at him in surprise. 

“You know another… Red Lantern?” 

“Oh yeah! There’s this red dragon kid, uh… Jaxton I think his name is. Aye, kid’s been a great help to the sector near ours, close to yer age too! Heard of him?”

Though nobody could see from underneath his helmet, Razer’s ears perked up like a cat, quite curious. “I have not, but I would love…” Razer coughed to correct himself after saying ‘love,’ “I would like to meet him. How do I get to the next sector without an authorised ship on hand? I doubt I could just ‘borrow’ one.”

“Kid, I already got the ship ready for ye. Been waiting for ya to ask about other Red Lanterns for months. I promise ya gonna like this kiddo, he’s a real hoot! But I’d uh…” Rotrüff looked down at the rings on the floor with a nervous smile. “I’d recommend taking both ya rings with yer, Jaxton’s gonna have something cool about his ring to show ye. He’s got a… new type of ring.”

“A new type of ring? What do you mean? … Why are you so eager for me to meet him?”

“You’ll know why when you see him, C-13. I’ll take ye to the ship when yer ready, you need to meet this dragon.”

“...Alright. You have piqued my interest. Take me to his sector as soon as possible.”


End file.
